Fantasy Fiction Author and Cover Designer

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I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone that helped my Kickstarter project become a success.

There are currently 7 days until the deadline and we are at 126% (£743 of the £600 target).

Due to the fact there is still a week remaining I have added some stretch goals and a new reward level. If I reach £750 (only £7 to go) I will use the additional funds to hire a professional proofreader for my novel. If I reach a total of £1,000 I intend to commission an illustrator to create three key scenes.

My new reward level is a big one. It is called ‘The Education Level’ and it is £500. I realise this is a lot of money but I thought a reward aimed at schools and colleges might be a good idea. For £500 I will visit a school or college and do a half day session with a class of students covering topics such as my inspiration, how I wrote my novel, getting published, formatting and marketing techniques amongst others. I will also set a challenge with a prize of a Kindle and 3 signed paperbacks. Don’t forget, you get all the rewards from the other levels below this.

If you know anyone that might be interested please pass on this link http://kck.st/171KD09 where there is a video of me explaining what the project is for and what to do.

I just wanted to do a quick post on my new Kickstarter project. For those of you unfamiliar with Kickstarter, it is a platform where people can add their creative projects and set a target funding goal/deadline. People can choose different funding levels and receive lots of great rewards for their support. However, it is an all or nothing situation. If the goal is not reached by the deadline the project is cancelled, no money is donated and the creators are sad 😦

I started my Kickstarter project to help fund a professional edit of my self-published debut fantasy fiction novel, Tirfo Thuin. Mu novel was first published in December 2011 and has achieved over 2,500 sales and plenty of 5* reviews. However, I am mindful that this book has not undergone a full professional edit/proof read that a big name publisher would have been able to supply. What I am hoping to achieve is support to help fund this professional edit whilst offering loads of nice rewards and goodies along the way.

Please feel free to take a look and see if you are interested in any of the rewards and pass it on to all your friends. The clock is ticking. Thanks.

Collins tells us of a young girl, Katniss, and her involvement in what can only be compared to the scenes from The Running Man but with children and a stronger back story.

The crazed, dystopian future sees a yearly event in which children are drawn from each district to fight to the death among a plethora of traps and obstacles. The intention is for the Capital to reinforce its stronghold over the population, remind them of the previous rebellion and what little good it did them and suppress them to prevent any kind of future uprising.

Katniss soon becomes a figurehead for all the suppressed people of Panem and the story takes some interesting turns during the second and third books.

I believe Suzanne Collins has created a great piece of young adult fantasy fiction that, as my own book Tirfo Thuin tries to do, covers some important themes on humanity and our want for self destruction and violence towards each other.

The only thing that frustrated me slightly was the ‘whiny, everyone is against me’ personality that Katniss sometimes fell into and the never ending Peeta vs Gale battle that left me thinking ‘just pick one and move on’. However, I have to remember that she is just a young girl and this is probably aimed at a slightly younger market than me.

That said, it was not enough of a distraction to cause me to drop to 4* and I will certainly be looking for more of Collins’ work and the film adaptations.

I find it interesting that this is effectively a story about children killing each other – and quite violently at times – and that this is being read by quite young readers themselves. It is an interesting, and obviously very effective, theme Collins has tackled and she has done it well.

I’d recommend it to anyone who likes young adult, coming of age, fantasy fiction with an element of sci-fi and violence.

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As many of you may have seen in this months Dot Net Magazine (Summer Edition), Tirfo Thuin has a new website that is soon to be built. Many thanks to frontend developer, digital designer and general web guru Paul Welsh (@Spacedawwwg) for creating a new one page website design for a feature called Website Build-Off.

The brief from dot net magazine:

‘Mock up the homepage for a site promoting a self-published book. Think about the niche it fills, its audience – and how you can persuade them to open their purses.’

The magazine contacted Paul as he has done some great features in the past for the magazine and, given that he knew I had a self published book and had some assets from the cover design all ready to go, he jumped at the chance.

Paul’s aim was:

“To make the book seem as if it could have been released by a top publisher. One fallback for self-publishers is the lack of availability to resources such as design. Unfortunately, bad design can easily make even the most fantastic product seem cheap and deter people from parting with their hard-earned cash (people really do judge a book by its cover).”

Once I pay Paul the almighty sum of a black americano from Starbucks as down-payment (other coffee outlets are available), the new site should be available. I’ll post and tweet when the site is live so people can let me know what they think.

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During June my debut fantasy fiction novel, Tirfo Thuin, is free as an eBook. That means all you lucky people with Kindles, iPhones, iPads, Kobo’s etc will be able to download it for free. That is free. Zero Pounds/Dollars/Euros/Spondoolies.

You might wonder at my motives. Why make something that took years of my life to complete absolutely free? Well, there are a few reasons.

The first is that I did not write Tirfo Thuin to make money. Don’t get me wrong, I am far from rich but I did not sit there as the characters and story of Tirfo Thuin unfolded thinking, ‘Cha-ching, this is going to make me money.’ I wrote it thinking only of the story and where it might lead. Getting Tirfo Thuin published was an afterthought and one that actually came long after I had finished my first draft.

When you have a love of writing, and a passion to put pen to paper, you do it because you enjoy it. Some people like football, some people like video games or chess. I like all these as well but I also get the same level of enjoyment from seeing a story unfold. Therefore, I did not write to make money so it doesn’t matter that I give my book away.

The second reason is simple. I have just uploaded a second edition that includes a few minor tweaks/refinements. Nothing major, the story is the same but feedback from readers is crucial to me and after so many sales it was inevitable that I would receive some constructive feedback. After all, what is the point in being a writer if you do not listen to your readers? As a thank you to all the people who have already bought it but are yet to read it, and to all you that are new to Tirfo Thuin I offer you the shiny new version for free. Go ahead, download it again and get rid of the old version.

The third and final reason is that I want my book to be read and to receive lots of honest reviews. If you decide to take the chance to download the book (you might as well, it’s free after all) please do leave an honest review where you bought it and, if you get the chance, on Goodreads.com too. The only way readers know whether to get a book is if good honest people like yourselves let them know it is worth clicking the Download button.

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I have struggled to find time recently to dedicate to my blog and Twitter but that should change again soon. As a brief update a fair bit has happened since my last post.

My paperback cover is now complete and approved and I am awaiting my final hard copy proof before my paperback can go on general sale.

I have reached a mighty 600+ followers on Twitter. Might not sound like a lot but I am really pleased so many people are interested in what I have to say.

I am now set up on Goodreads with an author profile and have already recieved good reviews on there.

I have begun the basic plot of the sequel to Tirfo Thuin – yet to be named – and am very excited about it.

I have completed a first draft of a post containing details of self publishing a novel for my work blog. It is a kind of whistle-stop tour of what I have done over the last few years. I’ll post a link soon.

I have become a ‘Stealth Editor’ – more details on this to come in a following post but this is consuming a fair bit of my time at present. You authors who have been ‘Stedited’- as I am calling it – know who you are and I hope it has proved to be a useful exercise

I hope to get more time to dedicate to my followers and my blog over the coming months and get back on to author interviews. Therefore, if you are a self published author and would like to partake in an author interview just let me know.

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I’ve just realised that I created a nice shiny new site for my book before Christmas (a site and blog specific to my debut fantasy fiction novel Tirfo Thuin) and didn’t even post about it here.

It might look quite similar from a design point of view but the content is very much focussed on my debut fantasy fiction book and my general thoughts about how I came to get the book published and who I think will enjoy it etc. I wanted a site focussed on me as an author and a separate site all about the book. There is also a bonus materials section that ties in with some content at the end of my book where you can uncover further explanations of items in the novel as well as get information on how to get your free gifts.

Tirfo Thuin is already receiving great reviews with an average of 5* on Amazon. I hope you all give it a try. After all, it’s only 99p/99c. What have you got to lose? If you hate it, follow the instructions, get your free gift and what have you lost. Nothing. However, I’m sure you will like it. I hope you absolutely love it because that would make the time and hard work I put into it all worth it.

Now my debut novel – Tirfo Thuin – is available I wanted to write an opening post on my new blog that contained loads of promotional stuff about my book – buy buy buy it’s amazing etc.

However, when I really thought about it I realised I didn’t actually care about getting lots of sales. I am writing this post using a note app on my iPhone while traveling home on a packed tram from a manic day at the office. I’m tired. I’m miserable. I’m cramped. However, all I can think as I look around the tram is ‘I wonder if the middle-aged business woman in her grey suit would love my book. I think so. I wonder if the guy who looks like a graphic designer would like it. For sure. I wonder if the group of noisy rebellious teens would love my book. I would bet money on it.

Please do not mistake my lack of care for how well Tirfo Thuin sells as me not caring about my audience because I do, greatly. Or that I may not care about the quality of my writing because, again, I do. My first novel took years to complete and I will probably still think of things I could improve now it’s published – none of us are perfect.

What I mean is that I write because I love it (not to make money) and I publish to give my writing a purpose and so, hopefully, some of you can get pleasure from the hours, days, months I spent slaving over notepads and laptops to make what I hope is a great book.

I don’t need high sales. I have a day job as a project manager that I love. I am far from rich from a money point of view but I am comfortable. I am rich from a family point of view as I have a great wife, daughter and family who I love very much. So you see the measly 30p from each sale means very little to me. If I cared only for money I wouldn’t sell my years of work for less than a double cheeseburger 🙂

What is actually priceless to me is that just 1 person who I have never met, maybe never even come across online, takes a chance on my novel and tells me they liked it.

I would get more pleasure out of receiving 5 nice reviews on Amazon than I would if I sold 100,000 copies, made a great chunk of money but got no feedback. After all, I’m never going to leave my job to be a writer no matter how many books I sell.. It is something I love to do but I also like the day-to-day aspects of my life. That is where I draw inspiration and structure from. That is just life.

I’ll wrap this up by saying if you like a good read about a rebellious hero, someone who has all the odds stacked against them but still tries anyway, this book is for you. It is a great fantasy fiction novel that also covers day-to-day issues we all encounter (loss of parents, single parent families, coming of age, racial and religious divides) in a subtle way. I here you all cry ‘that doesn’t sound like a fantasy fiction book’ but that is the beauty. I am sure all you Harry potter fans are going to love it anyway. I even got a comment off one reviewer stating it could be better than HP – the book not the sauce. Done in the right way you can combine any genre with hard-hitting themes like these and it means you do not need to be a hardcore fantasy fiction fan to love this book.

Anyway, check it out and I hope you like it. I will be happy if just one of you tells me you enjoyed it and as a thank you for taking the time to read and review my book I will be giving away some free goodies – http://tirfothuin.wordpress.com/bonus-material/

Walking through town tonight after work I realised how much inspiration can be taken from everyday surroundings -particularly in the festive season.

Take this photo I took for example. A 15 foot high illuminated reindeer that conjures ideas of fantasy, magical lands and amazing beasts.

The other day I dragged myself away from my iPhone to notice a statue intricately carved with swords and flowers. I have walked past this every day for 18 months but never noticed.

I spend so much time glued to my laptop or my phone hoping to perfect my latest novel or Tweet help and support to fellow authors that I often forget that the best ideas and inspiration often go unnoticed day in day out.

Take a moment to absorb your surroundings. You’ll be surprised at what jumps out at you. Feel free to comment with links to images of what you notice today. It might help spark someone’s immigration.

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I would like to introduce Patti Roberts – self published author of the Paradox series. She has kindly agreed to answer some questions and offered to throw in a free copy of Paradox – Progeny Of Innocence to one lucky reader. See below for more details.

1. How would you describe yourself and your writing?

Dedicated. I like to research particular aspects of the story line to make events as realistic as possible. And although a work of fiction, I like to feel that the reader has learnt a little something that they didn’t know before they read on of my books. Usually, an event from history.

2. Can you tell me a bit about how the Paradox series came about?

I need to do something creative and positive with myself. Writing Paradox – The Angels Are Here, was a kind of therapy for me. It helped me put a positive spin on the negativity of a failed relationship. It most certainly worked!

3. What made you self publish your novels and what has the experience been like to date?

I can’t compare it with traditional publishing, as I have never walked down that path. I never even considered it – I’m way too impatient and independent to wait around for someone else to tell me yes or no. So I went ahead with the idea of letting the reader tell me yes or no. Most have said YES, so I’m more than happy with that!

4. Who have you published with?

Self published with Smashwords, Amazon and Createspace.

5. Did you prepare your e-books yourself? Any pointers?

Yes I did. I have done everything. Formatting, cover design – I bought the artwork however, I’m not that talented. Promotion and marketing. Lots of very long hours but very rewarding. I highly recommend everyone thinking about writing to join Goodreads. They are such a supportive bunch of people over there!

6. Who does you cover art?

I bought the cover art from Dreamstime.com. Some really talented artist can be found there. I love your cover by the way! Then I work on the text. Oh, and people do judge a book by the cover… So make sure you pick a winner. If people don’t stop to admire the cover, chances are they won’t bother to read what the book is about. Result – Sale missed!

7. Do you do a lot of self promotion? How do you market and promote your work & what do you find are effective methods of self promotion?

Anyone can self promote and market if they are prepared to put in the hours. HOURS. I use twitter and Facebook. I provide lots of free copies of my book to bloggers that do reviews and host giveaways. Recently I held a comp and asked people to help me chose a cover for book 2. I had 3 different covers designed for voters to choose from. Then after the comp I gave two winners a copy of Paradox – Progeny Of Innocence. I thought it was a way to get people involved. And it certainly did.

8. Do you find sales peak and then drop off after your initial self promotion?

Sure, that is the way it goes. The more promotion and marketing you do the more feedback and interest you receive.

9. What advice would you give to a newbie to self publishing?

Use you first book as a marketing research. Get it out there as much as you can. Find out what people loved and hated about it. And listen to what the readers are telling you. Learn from what they are telling you… Listen to the good and the bad. You can learn more about the bad than the good… That is if you want to keep getting better!

10. What lies in store for Patti Roberts?

Lots more books in the Paradox Series. I start writing for book 3 in the New Year for a 2012 release. I would actually like to bring out 2 books in 2012, but we will just have to wait and see.

Thank you so much for the interview Andrew. I have enjoyed answering your questions. Patti

Paradox – Progeny Of Innocence Giveaway – Free e-book alert!
Patti often gives a free e-book to a reader along with an interview or a review. Therefore, all you need to do is Tweet/Like this post and then add a comment. I will pick a winner at random on 21st December and post here who the lucky winner is. What a great prize for you to enjoy over the Christmas break. Good luck.